Press Release – Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

Chairman’s Remarks

The House of Assembly in collaboration with the UK CPA held a Public Accounts Workshop on Monday 5th – Wednesday 7th July at the Hon. House of Assembly, Grand Turk.

The sessions were very informative and interactive. The session which stood out was the one in which the Committee was given a real life scenario on a value for money contract. This allowed the Committee to question Witnesses that is, persons involved in the planning and execution of the contract and probe for answers that sought to satisfy the outcome of the agreed contract.

As the Chair of the Committee I express my profound thanks to the Committee for their display and attendance and I look forward to many more meetings with our team.

The Committee is comprised of the following individuals:

Hon. Edward Astwood – Chair

Hon. Harold Charles – Member (H.E. Governor’s nominee)

Hon. Shaun Malcolm – Member

Hon. Jameka Williams – Member

Mrs. Ruth Forbes – Member (H.E. Governor’s nominee)

Mr. Leonardo Ralph James Patrick – Member (Speaker’s nominee)

Mrs. Lydia Butterfield – Deputy Clerk

Mrs. Sandra Stephen-Malcolm – Auditor General

Mrs. Darlene Clerveaux Forbes PA Chair

The Committee is expected to commence a series of Public Hearings this September on Audited Reports from the Auditor General which was laid in the House of Assembly and referred to the Public Accounts Committee for scrutiny.

Hence the mandate of the PAC is to scrutinize and hold accountable all Government entities, Statutory Bodies, Institutions protecting good governance and any entity or individual that are in receipt of 50% or more of their income from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

Auditor General’s remarks

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) benefitted from bespoke training which included hearing from leading Parliamentarians including the Hon. Akeirra Misick former PAC Chair.  The training received by Committee members complimented the diverse knowledge and expertise possessed by members, the combination of these factors provides a powerful platform on which to examine my reports, question witnesses during evidence sessions of the Committee and ultimately achieving impact on public financial management.

As Auditor General, I look forward to working with the newly constituted Public Accounts Committee (PAC), one of the two standing committee of the House of Assembly to whom my reports are referred to for scrutiny for effective accountability to the Legislature.